Charnwood Forest
A reference circa 1880 in a newspaper article mentions a Charnwood Forest beer house. Perhaps another off-licence. Many held beer house licence for a short period, many claimed beer house status but only held off licences. Some gave themselves a name to differentiate themselves, or to sound grander, they sold beer and left a few tables or seats in the yards where customers sat and drank.
Spinney Arms
The 1880 Directory names Mrs. Elizabeth Dilks as beer house keeper at the Spinney Arms on the corner of St. Savious Road. In 1891, Samuel Dilks and Elizabeth are still there with their six children being recorded as a grocer on census.
By 1900, the premises are recorded as beer retailer and grocer.
Hynard Hughes
In 1900. the address was given as 189 Charnwood Street with under the name Harris Brothers, provision merchants and off-licence.
The premises were to become an off-licence and Walter Hynard and Joseph Hughes bought the property. On the 10th of December 1934, it was transferred to the Hynard Hughes Co. Ltd, together with premises at 104 Sherrard Road.
On the 22nd of June 1971, the off-licence was compulsory purchased by the local council prior to the demolition of most of the properties in Charnwood Street.
It was often said that Charnwood Street, one of the longest streets in Leicester didn’t have any pubs. This was not quite true, there were many that stood on the corner of Charnwood Street and streets off.
Beer houses and beer retailers were on the corner of Farnham Street, Edwin Street, Frank Street, Newby Street, Preston Street, Shenton Street and St. Saviours Road. Most became off-licences within a very short time, so since the 1900s it would have been true that no pubs existed on this amazing street that was locally known as Leicester’s ‘Petticoat Lane.’
Charny
Named after the much lamented Charnwood Street ‘Charny’. Leicester’s Petticoat Lane and one of the city’s best loved streets.
Built after the demolition of the area in the 1970s and 1980s, but does not resemble any of the layout or character.
Interesting angle of the Charny architecture from (Jeremy Corbett collection) 2023